Aunt Bessie Likes

by Diana Xarissa

  “I’ve met his wife,” Doona said. “Or at least I think it was his wife. Is her name Tara?”

  Hugh nodded. “I haven’t met her, but that is her name. She didn’t even know Jonas back then, so I’m not in any hurry to speak to her.”

  “You might want to talk to her before her husband returns,” John suggested quietly. “Just informally, just to see if the man ever mentioned the case to her over the years, that sort of thing.”

  Hugh pulled out his notebook and made a quick note. “I’ll do that,” he said.

  “Where did you meet her?” John asked Doona.

  “On my street,” Doona said. “I was taking a walk one day, about six months ago, and she was coming out of the house three doors down from me. You know the one that looks as if it needs some love and attention? That one.”

  Bessie nodded, picturing the small bungalow. While it wasn’t exactly neglected, it didn’t looked as if it was well cared for either. A fresh coat of paint and a bit of rudimentary gardening would make a huge difference.

  “What was she doing there?” John asked.

  “I stopped and said hello,” Doona recalled. “She told me that she and her husband owned the property and rented it out. The most recent tenants had just left and she was checking it out before turning it back over to their management company to find new tenants.”

  “I knew they owned a lot of property in the area,” Bessie said. “But I always thought it was all commercial. I didn’t realise they had residential properties as well.”

  “Actually, she told me they owned three or four houses on my street,” Doona told her. “She looked as if she could afford to buy the rest of them as well.”

  “Donald was a very successful property investor,” Bessie said. “What did you think of Tara? I haven’t seen her in years.”

  “She’s stunningly beautiful,” Doona replied. “Like model or actress beautiful, but I have to say she didn’t look particularly happy. She looked, I don’t know, almost too perfect. Her makeup had been done with a heavy hand and I remember thinking that she was overdressed for the weather. It was a warm day and she had on a gorgeous business suit that had to be wool. It fit her perfectly and showed off her spectacular figure, but it had to have been hot on such a nice day.”

  “You remember a lot from a brief encounter,” John remarked.

  “It made a real impression on me,” Doona told him. “Or rather, she did. There was something not quite right about her, but I don’t know what it was. At the time I thought she was just too perfect to be real, but now I’m not so sure. She seemed really invested in making me understand how rich and happy she was and how wonderful her life was. It was odd.”

  “That is odd,” John agreed. “Maybe I should have a little chat with her.”

  Hugh looked disappointed for a moment and then nodded. “It might be best,” he said. “If she’s anything like Doona said, she’d probably expect an inspector rather than a lowly constable, anyway.”

  “I’ll ring her in the morning and try to arrange a meeting before her husband returns,” John said. “I know from reading through the files myself that her husband’s father used to command quite a bit of respect from the Laxey Constabulary. We need to be extra careful when dealing with them, I think.”

  “It was suggested to me that Donald Clucas paid to have evidence against his son suppressed,” Bessie said.

  John frowned. “I’d hate to think that’s the case,” he said. “From everything I’ve heard, Inspector Harris was a solid investigator. There’s certainly nothing in the files that suggests that any evidence was suppressed.”

  “If Inspector Harris was bought off, he didn’t get much,” Hugh said. “His widow comes to some of the police family events once in a while, and I know she’s on a very tight budget. The inspector didn’t leave her much besides his pension.”

  “Maybe Donald paid off someone higher up in the chain of command,” Bessie suggested.

  “I can’t see Inspector Harris letting anything like that get past him,” Hugh said. “I’ve read his notes. He was genuinely at a loss to explain what had happened, and he worked the case, on and off, right up until the day he retired. If there was anything that would have given him the answers, I have to believe that he’d have made a note in his private notebooks, even if it didn’t get into the official reports.”

  “So Jonas Clucas is your favourite suspect?” Doona asked. She rinsed out the sink and then dried her hands and joined them back at the table.

  “I wouldn’t necessarily say that,” Hugh replied. “He’s interesting, but he’s far from the only person who had means and opportunity.”

  “What about motive?” Doona asked.

  “No one has ever suggested any real motive for either kidnapping or murdering the girls,” Hugh replied. “If you have any ideas, I’d love to hear them.”

  “Maybe someone kidnapped them for ransom,” Doona said. “But then they found out the families didn’t have any money so they killed them all.”

  “It’s possible,” Hugh said, his expression doubtful. “But the gap between the first disappearance the other two calls that theory into question. Why grab the other two girls if you couldn’t get any ransom for the first one?”

  Doona opened her mouth to reply and then snapped it shut. After a moment she sighed. “I could offer some possible explanation,” she said. “But the whole idea just keeps getting more and more convoluted as it goes along in my head. I think we can forget kidnapping for ransom.”

  “We can’t,” John interjected. “It isn’t likely, but it’s possible. It needs to stay on the long list as we investigate.”

  “But not on the short list,” Doona laughed.

  “No, not on the short list,” John agreed.

  “So maybe they were kidnapped for some other reason,” Doona suggested.

  “Maybe,” Hugh said. “If they were taken off the island, then finding out what happened to them might be impossible. After Susan’s disappearance, extra security measures were put into place at the airport and sea terminal. No one matching either Karen’s or Helen’s descriptions left the island in the week after their disappearances, at least not by plane or ferry.”

  “But anyone can sail a small boat up to the island, pick up a few passengers and sail away,” Doona pointed out.

  “Yes, and if that’s what happened, I’m probably wasting my time,” Hugh said.

  “And you don’t think you are,” Bessie suggested.

  “No, I don’t,” Hugh agreed. “I’ve heard lots of possible solutions to the case, but they all seem overly complicated. I think the most likely answer is the simplest one.”

  “And what is that?” John asked.

  “I think the girls were murdered and their bodies were buried somewhere on the island,” Hugh said. “I’m aiming my questions towards trying to work out where the bodies might be hidden.”

  “Maybe they really did just run away,” Doona said quietly.

  “I can’t believe that all three of them decided to simply cut all of their ties at the same time,” Hugh said. “Running away is one thing, staying away for thirty years is another.”

  “It’s sad to think that they might be dead,” Bessie said.

  “Nothing would make me happier than for one of them to ring the station tomorrow and tell us that they’re all fine,” Hugh replied. “That’s one of the reasons we were happy with the publicity that reopening the case has generated. I have to believe that someone on the island knows something. I’m just hoping they’ll be more willing to talk now than they were in nineteen-seventy.”

  “And if anyone does know that the girls are alive and well, maybe they’ll persuade one of them to get in touch,” Doona said.

  “I hope so,” Hugh said. “I’d love to close the case file with a happy ending.”

  Bessie nodded, but she couldn’t help but feel that a happy ending was unlikely. “All of the Kellys have acres and acres of farmland,” she said. “I’m not sure
where you’d even begin to look for the missing girls.”

  “As I said, I’m targeting my questioning towards that issue, although not directly. It’s been such a long time, I’m worried that someone has built a housing estate over them or something, though,” Hugh replied.

  “So, besides Jonas Clucas, who else might know something?” Doona asked.

  “All of the girls’ parents are still alive,” Hugh said. “They were questioned extensively in the original investigation. I tend to believe that none of them knew anything, though. Helen had a stepmother and I’m told they didn’t get along, but somehow I can’t see her killing three teenagers just to get rid of the one that annoyed her.”

  “I remember meeting Brandy once, not long after she and Harold got married,” Bessie said. “She was quite a bit younger than Harold, not much older than Helen. It doesn’t surprise me that the two didn’t get along.”

  “That isn’t much of a motive for murder, though,” Hugh said.

  “No, and Brandy didn’t seem the type, at least to me,” Bessie added. “She’d dropped out of school and had been working at Ramsey Cottage Hospital as a cleaner. I thought at the time that she seemed to think she’d won the lottery by marrying Harold. He had a bit of money and a big house, and she was able to quit her job. It certainly changed her life. When I met her, she still seemed happy, at least.”

  “Was that before or after Helen disappeared?” John asked.

  Bessie thought for a moment. “It must have been before,” she said. “I think she and Harold had only been married for a few weeks when I met her. They were visiting James at his market stall one day and I remember someone teasing her about still being in their honeymoon phase. Helen disappeared some months later.”

  “For what it’s worth,” Hugh said. “I talked to her today and I quite liked her. She still seems happy enough with her life, even after all these years. She and James held hands while I talked to them and there seems to be real affection between them. I’d hate to think she had anything to do with the disappearances.”

  “I think you’re an excellent judge of character,” John told Hugh. “But you can’t let your feelings interfere with the investigation. She’s still a suspect, no matter how nice she was to you.”

  Hugh nodded. “I know, sir. I was just saying, she was one of the nicer people I spoke to about the case.”

  “I had tea with Claire Kelly today,” Bessie reported. “She’s married to Todd, who was Susan’s older brother. She was telling me about Peter Clucas.”

  “Who’s Peter Clucas?” Doona demanded.

  “A cousin to Jonas, with far less money,” Bessie replied. “He was another suspect at the time. Like his cousin, he drank and caused trouble, and he was in the same social circle as the three girls.”

  “He’s a drug and alcohol rehabilitation counselor now,” Hugh said. “And he’s very good at his job. I talked to him briefly today, mostly just to schedule a formal interview. He did tell me that he’s happy to see the case reopened and that he hopes I can finally find out what really happened to the missing girls.”

  “Claire spoke very highly of him,” Bessie said. “I hope he isn’t on your short list of suspects.”

  “Just because he’s turned his life around doesn’t mean he shouldn’t be held responsible for his misdeeds in his youth,” John said. “Inspector Harris always thought he knew more than he admitted to about the case.”

  “I’m going to keep that in mind as I question him,” Hugh said.

  “What about Matthew Kelly?” Bessie asked. “Have you spoken to him? I don’t think he’ll be happy about the case being reopened.”

  “Matthew Kelly?” Doona asked.

  “Another cousin,” Bessie replied. “From another branch of the same family. It’s said he was involved with Karen Kelly before she vanished, even though he was four or five years older than she was at the time.”

  “And her parents didn’t ground her until she was eighteen?” Doona demanded.

  “I don’t think it was that unusual in those days,” Bessie replied. “And I doubt her parents knew anything about it, anyway.”

  Doona nodded. “Yeah, that makes sense.”

  “I have spoken to him,” Hugh said. “And you’re right, he isn’t happy.”

  “A lot of people at the time seemed to think he had something to do with the disappearances,” Bessie remarked. “I’m sure the whole investigation brings up bad memories.”

  “No doubt,” Hugh said. “But that should only make him more eager to find out what really happened. It can’t be easy living with the cloud of suspicion over your head for so many years.”

  “He never moved out of Lonan, did he?” Bessie asked.

  “No, which struck me as odd, considering,” Hugh replied.

  “What’s he doing now?” John asked.

  “He works at the garage there,” Hugh told him. “He’s their chief mechanic, which I think means only mechanic, really. When I went to see him he was under an old Renault, changing the oil. From what he said, most of their customers have older cars that he’s been looking after for years. He made some comment about fancy people buying new cars and taking them back to their overpriced dealers rather than using good and honest local garages.”

  “From what I’ve heard about that place, there’s nothing good or honest about it,” Bessie said. “I don’t pay much attention, as I don’t have a car to worry about, but I’ve never heard anything good about it.”

  “Me, either,” Doona said. “I’m quite happy taking my car back to where I bought it. They’ve always taken good care of me.”

  “Well, don’t mention that to Matthew Kelly if you ever meet him,” Hugh said.

  “He doesn’t sound happy about anything,” Bessie remarked.

  “You could say that,” Hugh replied.

  “Did he ever marry?” Doona asked. “Maybe his wife knows something.”

  Hugh glanced at John. “I’m not sure how much I should be talking about,” he said.

  “Marriages are matters of public record,” John replied. “As are divorces.”

  Hugh nodded. “He’s married to his third wife,” he said.

  “Does she make him happy?” Bessie had to ask.

  Hugh looked at John and then at Bessie. “I’d guess no, but it would just be a guess.”

  Bessie nodded. “I can do some poking around there,” she offered. “Do you know if his wife is from Lonan?”

  “She’s not,” Hugh said. “Apparently, she grew up in Laxey.”

  “Did she now?” Bessie said with interest. “What’s her name, then?”

  Hugh checked his notes. “Joanna Driver,” he said after a moment. “She was Joanna Fells for a while, too, I gather.”

  “I know exactly who she is,” Bessie said. “And I know exactly where to find her. She works at the pub in Laxey; she’s been there for years.”

  “I thought she looked familiar,” Hugh exclaimed. “Matthew had a wedding photo on one of the tables in the garage and I thought I recognised her, but I didn’t know the name.” He looked over at John Rockwell and blushed. “Not that I spend much time in the local pub,” he added quickly. “But I have lunch there once in a while. It’s always good to spend time in the popular local businesses, right?”

  “I don’t want you questioning witnesses,” John said to Bessie. “Or their wives.”

  “I won’t question anyone,” Bessie replied. “But I might have lunch at the pub tomorrow. It’s been ages since I had a nice pub lunch.”

  John frowned. “I know better than to try to dissuade you,” he said. “If you do go, take a friend with you, please.”

  Bessie nodded, trying to think who she might invite on such short notice.

  “I’m working tomorrow,” Doona said. “Otherwise, I’d love to go.”

  “Is Grace still working as a supply teacher every day?” Bessie asked Hugh.

  “At the moment, no,” Hugh replied. “She’s taken February off to get the wedding
planned and then for our honeymoon. She’s goes back on the first of March.”

  “I wonder if she’d like to have lunch with me tomorrow,” Bessie said casually.

  Hugh laughed. “Do you want me to text her and ask?”

  “Oh, yes, please,” Bessie replied.

  A few moments later Hugh put his phone away. “She’ll collect you at twelve,” he said. “And she said to tell you she’s really looking forward to it.”

  “Excellent,” Bessie said. “So am I.”

  “And she’s also eager for me to get back to the flat,” Hugh added. “She’s been working with the caterer all day and she needs to know what I think of the various options. Was there anything else we needed to discuss?”

  John shook his head. “I think we all have a rough idea of the basics of the case,” he said. “From here we’ll have to see how things develop.”

  Bessie insisted that Hugh take most of the leftovers home with him. “Share them with Grace while you go over the catering,” she suggested. “Otherwise, you’ll just get hungry talking about all that food.”

  Hugh laughed and quickly agreed. After Bessie let him out, she sat back down across from John.

  “Do you think he’ll actually be able to find out what happened to the Kelly girls?” she asked the man.

  John shrugged. “At this point, after all this time, he needs to hope that someone who wouldn’t talk back then is willing to talk now. It does happen, and this case seems like a good candidate for that, which is why I suggested he tackle it first.”

  “A good candidate why?” Doona asked.

  “Whatever happened to the girls, someone has to know something. Three people don’t just vanish without a trace. If they left voluntarily, they had help. If something else happened to them, someone saw something or heard something. Maybe that someone didn’t realise the significance at the time, but they’ve had a great many years to think about it. Being asked the right questions now might just get whoever it is to talk,” John explained.

  “Look at the time,” Doona exclaimed. “I’d better get home myself. I have to work early tomorrow.”